Bubble producing toy



Aug. 12, 1952 A. P. FULTON BUBBLE iaonucmc TOY Filed Sept. 5, 1950 1 0/59 frn gy Patented Aug. 12, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUBBLE PRODUCING TOY Arthur P. Fulton, Selma, Iowa Application September 5, 1950, Serial No. 183,239

7 Claims.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a novel type of toy capable of producing a series of bubbles by manual manipulation.

More specifically my invention embodies the use of a plurality of spoke-like arms pivotally secured at one end to and extending radially from a hub member and with an endless cord-like flexible member connected to the outer ends 01 the respective arms. These arms are designed so that their respective open and closed positions are not dissimilar to that of the struts or ribs of an umbrella in analogous positions. The bubbles are formed by immersing the flexible member in a suitable suds and thereafter passing this device in an open or partially open position through the air.

It is a further aim of my invention to provide a device of the above class whereby one dipping or submerging of the flexible member into a suds producing liquid makes it possible to produce a series of bubbles which may be substantially of like sizes or of different sizes with the choice of such sizes being within the discretion and control of the operator.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in'the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of my device showing it in open or expanded position,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of this toy taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a reduced side elevational view of this device shown about to be immersed in a container having a suds producing liquid therein, and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of this device in open position and showing a, bubble thereon about to be released.

Referring to the drawings the numeral I generally designates a combination handle and con trol means for this device. Preferably I make this member I0 from a length of resilient rod wire or the like that is bent between its end into a full spring loop II to form the resulting rod length portions I2 and I3 as shown in Fig. 2. The free end of the portion I2 is bent back upon itself to form the eye Or rin I4 in which the opening therein is at right angles to the opening in the spring loop II. The rod length portion I3 at the point I5 is bent at substantially a right angle toward the ring I4 and the free end there- 2, of is bent tcform an eye It perpendicular to its main portion that is smaller than the eye or ring I4 and that is substantially concentrically arranged in relation thereto whereby it serves as a hub as will be later described.

The numeral 17 designates a plurality of spokelike rod arms that are each of the same construction embodying an eye hook I8 on one end formed by bending the end portion back upon itself and an elongated link member I9 formed on the other end by bending the end portion thereat back upon itself as shown in Fig. 2. The link member I9 when so formed preferably extends at less than a right angle from the main arm portion II as illustrated: The links I9 on each of the arms I! embrace the ring I4 and eye I6 so that the ring is capable of engaging the links I9 at their outer ends and the eye 16 is capable of engaging them at their inner ends as illustrated in Fig. 1. This arrangement in effect produces a wheel-like appearance with the ring I l comparable to the rim, the eye I6 serving as the hub and the links I9 acting as spokes. These links I9 are held in spaced relationship on the ring I4 by the spacer sleeves 20. An endless flexible cord-like member 2| preferably made'from wool, cotton or the like is secured to the eye hook I8 on each of the arms I'I. However, any suitable material may be used for this member 2I so long as flexibility i present. Thus, a link chain would suiiice. Furthermore, while it may be absorbent, this is not required.

In the construction of this device the tension created by the spring loop II should be such as to normally tend to move the portions I2 and I3 away from each other. This tends to draw the eye I5 rearwardly through the ring I 4 and the resulting force against the inner end of the links I9 will draw the arms Il together in the position shown in Fig. 3. Conversely, when the rod portion I3 is moved toward the portion I2, the eye I6 will move forwardly through the ring I4 and cause the arms I! to extend radially outwardly as shown in Fig. 1. In this position the member 2I should be substantially free of slack. Obviously the length of the links I9 control the distance the eye I6 can move in either direction through the ring I 4.

In operation this device can be manually held and is first dipped or immersed in any suitable suds forming liquid or the like 22 shown in a container 23 in Fig. 3. For this purpose, no pressure is applied to the portions I2 and I3 and, the arms II are in their closed position as illustrated. When the member 2I becomes covered with the liquid 22 it is withdrawn therefrom, the arms I1 are extended as in Fig. 1 and the entire device drawn through the air in the direction of the solid line arrow of Fig. 4. Air will pass through this device in the direction of the dotted line arrow in the same figure to create and release the bubble 24. The bubble is formed because as the arms H are extended, surface tension on the wetted member 2! will create a film that catches the air in a manner similar to a sail on a boat. Once this film has been released by the air flow in the form of a bubble, the pressure on the portions [2 and I3 is released and the arms I! will return to the position of Fig. 4. Here, the member 2| being in its bunched position, the action of surface tension is sufilcient to create another film for producing a second bubble in the same manner as above described. This can be repeated until the member 2| no longer retains sufiicient of the suds producing liquid so that surface tension will form a new film. It is pointed out, that in the forming of bubbles, theoperator can control the size thereof by extending the arms 17 to any point intermediate its closed and full'open position.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my bubble producing toy without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

'I claim:

1. In a toy of the class described, a ring member, a hub member concentric-ally arranged with said ring member, a plurality of spoke-like arms, a link on one end of each of said arms; each of said links respectively pivotally secured to said ring member and said hub member, an endless cord-like flexible member secured to the respective ends of said arms. opposite said links, means for moving said hub in two directions at times through said ring member whereby said arms will move respectively outwardly from said hub and inwardly towards each other.

2. In a toy of the class described, a ring member, a hub member concentrically arranged with said ring member, a plurality of spoke-like arms, a link on one end of each of said arms; each of said links respectively pivotally secured tosaid ring member and said hub member, an endless cord-like flexible member secured to the respective ends of said arms opposite said links, means for normally holding said arms in close proximity to each other in longitudinal relationship, and means for moving said arms outwardly from said hub member at times.

3. In a toy of the class described, a handle member comprising a resilient rod member bent between its ends into a spring loop with the resulting two rod length portions extending in substantially the same direction; said spring loop being a yielding means tending to move said rod. lengths away from each other, a ring member formed at the free end of one of said rod lengths, the other rod being bent so that its free end approaches said ring member, an eye formed on the free end of said second mentioned rod length that is positioned concentrically with said ring member, a plurality of spoke-like arms pivotally secured at one end to said ring member and said eye, and an endless absorbent member connected to the other respective ends of said arms.

4. In a toy of the class described, a handle member comprising a resilient rod member bent between its ends into a spring loop with the resulting two rod length portions extending in substantially the same direction; said spring loop being a yielding means tending to move said rod lengths away from each other, a ring member formed at the free end of one of said rod lengths, the other rod length bent so that its free end approaches said ring member, an eye formed on the free end of said second mentioned rod length that is positioned concentrically with said ring member, a plurality of spoke-like arms, a link member on one end of each of said arms; each of said link members loosely embracing said ring member and said eye, and an endless flexible member connected to the other end of said arms.

5. In a toy of the class described, a ring member, a hub member within said ring member, a ilurality of spoke-like arms pivotally secured at me respective end to said hub member and said ring member, an endless flexible member connected to the other respective ends of said arms and means for moving said arms outwardly from said hub member and said ring member at times.

6. In a toy of the class described, a ring member, a hub. member within said ring member, a plurality of spoke-like arms pivotally secured at one respective end to said hub member and said ring member and normally extending therefrom in the same direction and. closely adjacent each other, an endless flexible member connected to the other respective ends of said arms and means for moving said arms outwardly from said hub member and said ring member at times.

7. In a bubble producing device capable of producing a bubble when drawn through the air in an extended condition, a base portion, a plurality of spoke-like arms each movably secured at one end to said base portion, a means for causing the free ends of said arms to move away from each other in relative extended positions or toward each other into relatively collapsed positions, an endless flexible member connected to the free end positions of said arms respectively and adapted to be immersed in a bubble producing solution when said arms are in collapsed positions; said device being capable of producing a bubble from the solution on said endless flexible member when said arms are in extended positions and the device is drawn through the air.

ARTHUR P. FULTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

